First encounters
by janeau
Summary: A one-shot on how Marlene met Mary, Dorcas and the rest of the marauders.


She was nervous. After all those years of actually dreaming of this day, she's a puddle of nervousness enclosed in a jacket her mom had given her for this special day. They arrived at King's Cross, her mother urging both Marlene and her father to walk quicker so she wouldn't miss the train. They spent the summer at France so Marlene wasn't able to go with James, instead she will just probably meet him at the train, afterall he promised a seat for her.

As they passed Platform 7, Marlene's heart beat faster than a minute ago if that's even possible. This is it, she will finally be educated in Hogwarts, she will finally see that red-head that James had been going on and on about in his leters. Is she ready for it? Before she can even answer the thought, her father urged her to pass the Platform 9 and 3/4 and soon she was standing with children and their families milling around, all busy to go inside the Hogwarts Express. She don't know where to go and she looked up at her parents almost wanting to cry. She was dead afraid, of what, she don't even know. "Come on, Marly, why the long face? You will see James in the train, go on ahead." Her father said in his thick Scottish accent while giving her a kiss in the cheek. Her mother leaned down to give her a warm hug and kiss both of her cheeks. Soon, she was trudging down inside the train her trunk and luggage already stored safely somewhere.

How she will find James seems impossible with the rows and rows of compartments in front of her. Marlene tried to look at each and she saw students talking animatedly with each other. Finally, she saw a compartment with another blonde girl reading a book. She opened it a little and peaked inside. "Erm…excuse me, is it okay if I share with you? I'm looking for someone but he seems missing." The girl smiled. "Sure. I'm Dorcas Meadowes by the way…" Marlene took a seat adjacent to her. "I'm Marlene McKinnon." She extended her hand not knowing that this girl will be one of her bestfriends in the coming years.

As soon as she sat down in the carriage taking her to Hogwarts for the first time, Marlene's nervousness evaporated. She started chatting up the blonde girl named Dorcas Meadowes in front of her, already forgetting that she's supposed to be looking for James Potter. They were just pass introductions and Dorcas has been telling her more about her family when the door burst open and soon she was being squished by a male student who's far too ecstatic in hugging her for all he's worth. "Marly, you're finally here!"

The carriage was stuffed with people as James comes with a posse including 3 other boys and a brown-haired girl. Marlene can smell James' familiar scent of almond and cinnamon. When he released her with a wide grin spread on his face, she finally got a good look of the people he brought along with him. There's the tall and timid-looking guy which was introduced as Remus Lupin, a short and slightly pudgy one named Peter Pettigrew and finally before James even had the chance to introduce him, the darkly handsome lad with a lustrous black hair and striking gray eyes gave Marlene a smile and she felt her heart skipped a beat.

"Is this the little bird that's too infatuated with you and keeps sending you those owls?" He asked James with a smirk. Marlene frowned looking from one boy to the next and saw that James just gave the latter a playful shove. "Sod off, Sirius." The brown-haired girl took a seat next to Marlene and introduced herself. "Don't mind him, he's really a git. I'm Mary Macdonald. You're Marlene McKinnon right? James had told us about you and who's your other friend here?" She asked looking at the other blonde hair sitting across Marlene.

"This is Dorcas Meadowes." Marlene told her and suddenly Sirius was next to Dorcas being all charming and talking animatedly with her. For some reason, Marlene decided then and there that she hates him for some reasons she don't even know herself.

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_These are actually two prompts I made when I still played Marlene in an RP. It's first encounter with Dorcas Meadowes and Sirius Black. Please rate or review. :)_


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